Speaking of medical issues....
This morning Andrea accompanied me to the doctor to hear the results of my sleep study two weeks ago.
The bottom line of it is that my results set off alarm bells. Apparently I'm one of the worst sleepers they've ever seen.
He showed us charts and things that I will let Andrea describe, but essentially I'm not getting enough air.
At one point there were 40 second gaps in my breathing.
Scary, but really? Explains a lot about my general tiredness and lethargy the last few years.
So, next Tuesday night? Hospital overnight 30 miles from here.
The friend I know who had similar news and got a CPAP machine has felt SO MUCH BETTER since she did. I'm glad they've diagnosed you DCJ and hope they get you set up with affordable help ASAP.
Yikes, D! But good for you moving forward on getting diagnosis and treatment that can help you.
Eep, DCJ. Hope the next sleep study can pinpoint the cause and suggest treatment.
I've known several people who slept much better with CPAP machines.
Oof. After a while at home in the air conditioning, I'm not feeling much better. I really hope I'm not coming down with something. At least tomorrow is a relatively easy day, and then I don't teach on Thursday.
CPAPs are terrific, but now I'm afraid my body's been trained to not sleep without one.
Scary, but really? Explains a lot about my general tiredness and lethargy the last few years.
"You're not fucking sleeping" as as clear an explaination as I've ever heard!
He showed us charts and things that I will let Andrea describe, but essentially I'm not getting enough air.
They give oxygen to people whose oxygen sat. level falls below 90, most people stay above 80, some few fall below 70. Daniel's levels were going as low as 20. So they hooked him up to a CPAP, and it helped a bit. They tried him on a different type of CPAP, made various adjustments, and so were able to bring up the levels, all the way up to around 50. These low dips coincided with the apnea incidents, of course. They want him to go back to another facility with more advanced machines, so they can find a setting or titration or whatever which will help him keep those oxygen levels up above 90.
At one point I kinda freaked out, on the grounds that if he were to need CPR in the middle of the night, it wouldn't do a lick of good - there would be no oxygen in his blood to keep circulating with the chest compressions.
DCJ, I'm so glad they've diagnosed you. I imagine this will be life-changing in a really good way.
Still sending -ma towards S-K and thinking good thoughts for everyone else who needs it.
Pix is there anything Drew could use to alleviate hospital boredom? I would have sent something already but I'm just not sure what.
At this point he's too sick to be bored. I will be very happy when he graduates to boredom. But thanks.
I've been exiled to the waiting room while they install the pict line.
Pix, how scary for you both. I am so sorry and sending much love and ~ma to you both.
Also, sending out continued ~ma to Trudy and amyth's families.
